Drug addiction

[NotTheSpiceOfLife]

I am astounded to discover that there's no drug support thread! So I thought I would start one.

I've been smoking weed for 25 years. Over the last 6 months, I've smoked legal highs instead because it's cheaper and you can buy it on the high street.

It has wrecked my life. I want to tell people about my experiences whilst I'm going through withdrawal, and see if there's any help/advice available.

Of course anyone can post about any kind of drug addiction that they want to talk about. I'd like to use this thread as a distraction to help me help others.

I'm going for a long soak in the bath now, as I'm trying to use distraction techniques to get through each day - but I'll be back with you later.

I'm an addict. I'd like to say recovering. I just need to keep recovering x

I gave a weed habit a few years back, it took me 5 times but I managed to crack it, the first week or so is the toughest, the sweating the no sleeping and all the weird dreams but it does get better. Well done.

Oh and stay off any angsty threads, they will drive you insane. i used to go to a forum for quitting weed but sadly it no longer exists, if you Google Seb Grant he is guy who quit weed years ago and writes books and blogs to help others quitting, he has a few good tips on his youtube videos.

I was silly enough to give my opinion in a drugs thread last night. I must have come across like a smug patronising prick, but I wasn't trying to be!

Couldn't eat me Maccies Have brought it home for later

And thanks again you lot.

DP is currently puking his guts up upstairs. His Big Tasty wasn't quite that!

So he can't come to the meeting tonight. I'm bloody knackered today and totally cba.

I will though. I'll get the bus and just make sure I go, I'll regret it if I don't.

I did go, I'm really pleased that I did. I met someone there that was in a mess. I'm not going to try and save her but I am taking her for a coffee and I think I've persuaded her to come to a meeting tomorrow morning. We shall see. I'll be going anyway.

DP is still poorly. I don't actually know how he's still being sick as he has nothing left in his stomach, poor sod. Sympathetically, I'm going to starfish in the bed with a hot water bottle while he sleeps on the sofa

He's a lucky man hope he feels better soon. Glad the meetings are helping (even if you seem to get most out of helping others!) you seem really determined and committed, it's seriously impressive. Hope you sleep well (is that improving now?) and that tomorrow is a better day for you and DP.

Fern I feel like I've won a new lease of life in the nick of time. I know that sounds wanky.

I need you lot and this thread. You've been amazing. I'm never going to get over it, I'm never going to not be an addict, but I can try and keep trying.

Sleep..... Plagued by sleep issues for years. For a week now I've been sleeping for 9 hours a night straight through. And - I don't wake up feeling like someone's hit me over the head with a spade

Well you sound so much perkier tonight not

Good sleep is fantastic, very restorative. Enjoy your starring !

I'm positive cos of my meeting And the prospect of a lie-in, and then another meeting. All sounds a bit obsessive, doesn't it? If I'm going to be addicted to something, this is probably one of the better choices

Oh that's brilliant you're sleeping! I couldn't for ages but think it had more to do with flashbacks to the robbery than withdrawals, think I ended up with PTSD type anxiety. Do you think that's really true about always being an addict? I can honestly say I never feel tempted (have even spent time around other people smoking weed and still nothing) and can't envisage any situation that would make me go back so I'm not sure it is true for everyone. As for the new lease of life, no it doesn't sound wanky at all, far from it. I obviously can't speak for you but my life is 100% better without it and I don't miss it at all. I still struggle a bit with anxiety and possibly a touch of depression at times but not to the extent I need medication, on the whole life is good being clean, yours will be too I'm sure

And yes, being addicted to meetings is definitely a better choice! I said upthread you need something else to focus on and fill your time and you're using meetings for that and gaining useful insight and support to help you cope at the same time, that's about the healthiest choice you could have made

Gah! My internet has been down for days! Sound's like you've been through it all this week!
Just keep going!
Mmmm mcdonalds! I'm on weightwatchers! Grr lol!
Glad you made it to NA and you've found a new friend to take for a coffee :)

All still good today so far! Loads of energy, went to a meeting this morning and going to another one tonight

The girl that I met last night was there, but she was off her head. I've persuaded her to come tonight again I hope.

Fantastic not I hope your OH is feeling better too

Fantastic that you are going to lots of meetings and they are helping. You are doing brilliantly. Sobriety is great, isn't it.

sobriety is great isn't it

That sums it up! This is my new motto, mantra, key phrase whatever it's called!!

frankel thank you for that short, snappy phrase that has stuck In my head.

See not your thread is working!

This is from a book called A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. I haven't read it but it's been recommended to me. I believe there's some controversy over whether the memoir is in fact made up - but that excerpt sums things up for me. That's how it used to be, apart from the drink.

Not using is making me see everything differently. My whole outlook on everything. Why didn't I do this 20 years ago? What a fucking waste.

Yep I felt that a lot, still do. It's not nice feeling like you've wasted all that time but is a bloody good incentive not to go back and waste any more iyswim. We all have regrets about how we've lived our lives, even non addicts, what matters is what you do going forward. I have a pretty good idea what things made me want to hide in a drug induced fog but somewhere underneath it all I must have been building strength because I feel able (mostly) to live with those things without drugs now and still be happy so maybe those years weren't completely wasted after all. I think it's normal to mourn the years you lost to drugs but it's important to look forward to the future without them too and believe me it feels a million times lighter and brighter when you're straight. Being constantly stoned for me was like walking through custard, thick and heavy and hard, getting straight was like being shoved under a waterfall and rinsing it all away, a bit of a shock to the system but worth it when you come out sparkling!

Bloody brilliant description Fern. I'm trying not to regret too much. Just wish I'd looked at it all through clear eyes, like now.

Whoever said sobriety is great, is so right.

It really is, even when life is shit and you feel crappy at least it's real. I see life very differently now, I would rather feel 'bad' emotions than feel nothing at all, it's all enjoyable in a weird way after being numb for so long, reminds me I'm alive if that makes sense and that feels good after feeling like the walking dead for so long.

Glad you are feeling so well.

Thanks Wimpy **
*
Fern* that makes sense x

I'm glad you are feeling better OP :)

I've read the book. It's so good... Even if Frey did admit he made up some of it!
He's written a few books, "my friend leonard" and I can't remember the other one...